Jenny Zhang
19 April 2012
March 5 was my 25th birthday. I was very happy that I got a lot of wishes from my friends, colleagues and my relatives on that day.
To my surprise, I got a cake and birthday card from the Hilton Dalian hotel. The cake was well decorated with fresh strawberries and oranges on the top. Also, the birthday card was full with good wishes from the General Manager, the Operations Director, the Department Manager and other colleagues. At that moment, I felt very touched.
When I got back home, I shared the cake with my parents. They were very happy to share the happy moment with me.
Later, when I surfed the internet, I also got a lot of wishes from my friends in Australia. It made me recall one sentence in my mind – time and space cannot part us, our friendship will last forever.
28 February 2012
Being an employee for Hilton Dalian for almost three months, last Saturday will be an exciting day for every employee as the Grand Opening was held on the 25 February.
Before the Grand Opening, every employee had an opportunity to try different dining sectors in the hotel and I am no exception. Generally speaking, we have three famous restaurants: All Day Dining for Western food, Dong Bei Street for authentic Northeastern Chinese food and Genji Restaurant for dedicated Japanese food.
Tonight, I am the lucky one to have dinner with one of my colleague in Dong Bei Street. We ordered Lanzhou Noodles, Dim Sims, BBQ Pork Ribs, Baked Egg Tarts and Peach Tea. Honestly, the food and drinks there have amazing flavor and are attractive looking. We had a good time there!
For the next week, we still have a couple of times to try other restaurants. I am very excited. If all of you have time to go to Dalian in China, you are welcome to our hotel for a look! I guarantee it will make you very happy!
31 January 2012
19 January 2012 is an unforgettable day for me, because this is my first time to be an English hostess for my past 24 years.
Since I was born, my parents have always said to me, ‘Jenny, you are such a lucky girl.’ When I grow up, my friends and colleagues still say the same sentence to me. I am very proud of myself and I do believe the chances are always for the people who are well prepared.
Time goes fast! It is around the Chinese New Year and every company has started to hold a New Year party. Even our hotel is still in the preparation stage, we were not an exception. To my surprise, I was selected as the English hostess for the hotel’s New Year party – three hours before it began. Honestly, I was a bit nervous because I did not prepare for it. But my colleagues encouraged me and said ‘Jenny, it is your day. You are the best. Please go ahead.’
When the party began, there were more than 800 eyes looking at me. At that moment, it seemed like time started to stop and I was the only focus on the stage. Then, I became more and more confident and I started saying in my heart, ‘I will make it.’ Finally, I made it and everyone was saying ‘Jenny, you are the best.’
I thought it was like a dream. That’s true; everyone’s life is like a dream. Life is short. We should take advantage of every moment in our life. So, when we become old, we will never regret anything…
12 December 2011
Last Saturday was an exciting day for all students at La Trobe – the exam results came out earlier than what we expected.
On Saturday morning, I heard this news from one of my good friend online. Then, I could not wait to see my results from my student email. When I looked at it, I felt very proud of myself. All of my subjects for my last semester are As again. In particular, I got 96 for a subject called Hospitality Service Delivery Strategy. Meanwhile, I got 92 for Wine Tourism and Marketing. Then, my parents decided to buy me a bottle of wine to celebrate.
Honestly, the last semester was very challenging because there were a lot of jobs that needed to done with team members. Meaning we needed to arrange times for different subjects. Sometimes, we always complained that the time was not enough. However, I made it and our team members achieved good results finally, which made everyone feel happy.
Now, there is a saying that comes to my mind; ‘When we were accepted to La Trobe, we felt proud of it; when we graduate, La Trobe will be proud of us.’
29 November 2011
It is so good to be home…now I am in China!
A lot of things happened to me within these two weeks. On 15 November, I made the decision to go back to China. This is because I would have a couple of interviews in Dalian and Shanghai. Then, I took the flight on the 18 November.
On 20 November, I had my first interview in the Hilton Hotel in Dalian of China. To be honest, I did not prepare for my interview very well and felt a bit nervous. However, my parents encouraged me to be more confident about myself and they suggested to say what I wanted to talk about. With their help, I had successfully passed my first official interview, which made my parents and I very proud and excited. Moreover, my position in the hotel now is the receptionist on the executive floor.
Wow, I cannot believe that I start my new journey in China…hopefully, my career will be very successful in the future.
14 November 2011
Wow, exams are totally finished. Now I have finished all my study at La Trobe, which makes me very proud and happy.
Last Thursday, I finished my last exam, which made me very excited. Afterwards, six of my best friends at La Trobe decided to have a farewell party. Actually, this party was very simple and it was held at a Chinese restaurant near Preston Market.
During the party, everyone talked about their plans; I will go back to China near January of next year, and then I will go to Shanghai, China. Hopefully I will find my ‘Mr Right’ and settle down for the rest of my life there. Some of my friends will stay in Melbourne, others will move to other cities if there is a better chance for working. Suddenly, all of us felt very sad, as we all met each other at La Trobe one and half years ago, and now it was time to say goodbye. Surprisingly, the rest of my friends gave me a big Teddy Bear as they wanted me to remember them forever. At this moment, a famous saying came to my mind; ‘All good things come to an end, there is no feast that can go on and on, the best of friends must part.’
I wish all of the students graduating soon a bright career! I hope everyone who is still studying at La Trobe has a good time. I will miss all of you!
18 October 2011
Dan Murphy’s is one of the best liquor retail shops in Australia!
Last Sunday, I went to Dan Murphy’s with my housemates for window shopping. It was my first time there and I was very impressed with the different kinds of alcohol. The store was designed in a systematical order and the alcohol was well labeled.
Interestingly, it seems that I went to the kingdom of alcohol. It has sparkling and champagne, beer and cider, red wine, white wine, spirits, fortified wine and imported wine. I was attracted to the very beautiful wine bottles and nice packaging.
Finally, we bought a bottle of sparkling red and I cannot wait to have it.
04 October 2011
The Yarra Valley is one of the biggest wine-growing regions in Victoria that has more than 20 different wineries. Before the semester break, we had a field trip to the Yarra Valley.
This field trip was very special because we got more than 30 students from the Tourism and Marketing course at La Trobe to come. In order to visit three different wineries on that day, we had to leave Bundoora about 9am. Actually, the Yarra Valley is not that far away from the Melbourne campus. After a one hour drive, we arrived at the paradise of wineries.
The first winery we visited is called Domaine Chandon, which is one of the biggest wineries in the Yarra Valley. This winery was built in 1986, and is very famous for champagne and beautiful landscapes. To my surprise, I got a chance to taste a red sparkling wine, which I have never heard of in my past 24 years. I was not only attracted by its color but also by its amazing taste that was very hard to describe in words. Then, we visited Dominique Property Winery and Yering Station. These two wineries are also beautiful like the first winery. We had a good time there.
Time goes fast! We had to say goodbye to the Yarra Valley. Thanks to our lecturer, Paul, who organised this trip for us!
19 September 2011
Last Monday, my best friends and I got together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
It is a traditional festival in China, and every Chinese person celebrates with their family. Normally, people eat moon cake and enjoy the full moon on that day.
Although we cannot stay with our families in China, we still had an unforgettable party at a friend’s apartment. After class finished, we decided to have a BBQ as the weather was so nice. Then, we bought plenty of food, such as salad, lamb, steak, sausages and beef. After that, we reached my friend’s apartment as soon as possible.
Within one hour, our food was ready to eat, which made us very happy. We ate a lot and we had a wonderful time. Even though this is our last semester at La Trobe University, we still cherish every moment together and hope our friendship will last forever.
07 September 2011
Two weeks ago, I had a lunch with one of my friends at Fancy Oriental Restaurant [FOR] near the suburb of Box Hill.
After 15 minutes drive from home, we got there. When we stepped into the restaurant, I was very impressed by the modern decorations of the restaurant’s interior. For example, light blue wallpaper, half pendant lamps and wooden round tables, which provided an ambient condition for dining.
The friendly staff came to our table and recommended the lunch special for us. As this was the first time we had a meal there, we decided to try it: Deep Fried Pork in Egg on Rice and Eggplant with Pork Mince on Rice. Surprisingly, once we ordered the meal, we would get a glass of milk tea for free. It only cost $9 for each meal plus a free drink. What a good deal!
Five minutes later, our order came out quickly from the kitchen, which made us very happy. Honestly, I have never eaten such a big portion before. It looked so attractive and smelled great that I couldn’t wait to have it. When I tasted it, I had to say it was so yummy. Also, the milk tea was cool enough to drink and its taste was so pure without any sediment. When we were nearly finished our meal, a staff member came to our table. She kindly asked us how we felt about FOR. We told her we had a good time.
Totally, this lunch cost only us $18. We were very satisfied with this meal. Because it was a low price with high quality food and fast service, which gave us an unforgettable dining experience. We are willing to try something different at FOR next time.
22 August 2011
This semester I enrolled in an elective called Wine Tourism and Marketing. Luckily, we went on a white wine tasting tutorial last Friday.
The lecturer invited a manager from Robert Oatley Vineyards, who taught us some basic knowledge about white wine. For example, the basic steps of making white wine and how to tell the difference between wines.
During this two hour tutorial, we tasted four different white wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigo, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Among all of these, Chardonnay is my favourite. I was attracted by the special design of that bottle at first. Then, I was impressed by the flavour, which was full bodied yet crisp with lifted citrus and melon flavours. More importantly, that bottle of Chardonnay was made from a brand new barrel during the second fermentation. Thus, it made that bottle of Chardonnay very special.
Honestly, I had so much fun from this tutorial! By the way, we will have red wine tasting next Friday. Interestingly, at the end of September, we will have a field trip to the Yarra Valley. What a good life!
I am so happy that I chose this subject this Semester! Because now I have started to learn, drink and love Australian wine!
08 August 2011
Victoria is like a paradise, as there are many beautiful places to go. Last Saturday, I went to Mornington Hot Springs with my housemates.
As I am living at Fairfield currently, it took us one and a half hours drive to reach there. After arriving at Spa House, I was very impressed by the outdoor bathing area. It seemed like another world, which makes people feel very relaxed. From memory, there are at least twenty hot pools for bathing. Each pool looks similar; however they are different from others in terms of mineral water temperature, pool size and functionality. I wanted to try every pool. However, there were a lot of other people there that day and I could only try the pools with less people. What a shame!
When I stepped into the pool, I totally immersed myself with the natural scenery, fresh air and spring water. At this moment I was not thinking anything and just enjoyed the wonderful spa experience.
Times goes fast! I nearly stayed in the pool for two hours. It was time to say good bye to this paradise. After we went home, I had a good sleep from Saturday 8pm to Sunday 9am. What a sweet dream!
Winter will leave us soon, why not go there and have fun?
20 July 2011
The 20th of July in 2011 is an important day for every student at La Trobe University because it is the day exam results are released.
This morning, I woke up earlier than usual. When the clock reached 9.00am, I opened my student email without any hesitation. I was very surprised after reading my results – I got As for all three of the subjects I studied last semester! I was especially surprised about Economics; I received a score of 96, which made me very proud.
I couldn’t wait to call my parents to let them know about my good results. When they heard from me, they were very happy. Later on, I got so many calls from my classmates. When they heard my results, they said things like ‘Come on, Jenny, you achieved three As again?’
I would like to share my study method with all of you. My friends always ask me ‘Jenny, have you set goals for every subject?’
Honestly, I never said to myself what results I should achieve. Instead, I care how much effort I put in.
Some tutors ask me, ‘As an international student, have you found study hard?’ As we all know; nobody is perfect. The more I study, the more I know. Of course, English is a second language for me; so I have to study harder if I want to achieve good results. I guess this may be the secret to my success in studying.
I hope my study method helps. Cheers!
7 July 2011
Cheers! Exams are finally finished. Every student now has nearly one month holiday, which makes us very excited.
I planned my holiday three months ahead of exams. Do you want to know what my plan is? A short holiday in China.
Honestly, I have not been back to my hometown for nearly two years, which is quite a long time for me. I miss my parents very much.
Before I take my holiday, I planned to go shopping for my parents and friends. Melbourne is a fantastic place for shopping, especially the CBD area where you can buy anything you like. Moreover, the financial year was just around the corner and that helped me to save money. During my shopping, I found a very funny toy bear which only cost $5. I was attracted to this toy, not only due to its price, but also its function. Well, you might ask me what is the function? This toy can also be used as a cushion, when I tie the button. The design is amazing!
Although a thirteen hour flight is quite a long time for me, I will still enjoy it. Every day now I will be surrounded by yummy food, and stay with my parents, which will be quite amazing and enjoyable.
I wish every student a good holiday!
14 June 2011
Wow, exams are coming soon! I am so excited now, because my first exam is this Wednesday! Cheers, Jenny!
People say studying for exams is very boring. However, I love exams.
During the exam revision period, I feel more knowledgeable than usual. A good study timetable is very important, as is allocating proper time everyday for different subjects. Then, finding a quiet place for study is essential; otherwise I cannot focus on what I am reading. The La Trobe Library level 3 and the State Library Silent Reading Room are two good places for my revision.
Most importantly – repetition is the key.
When I feel tired, I love jogging to the park – it makes me feel very relaxed. I also cook yummy Chinese food at home, which makes my stomach very happy. I love listening to music and doing yoga at home to relax too.
It sounds like my revision is very colourful, doesn’t it? I am also planning to do a lot of things when all exams are finished. I guess everyone has their own different plan.
Good luck to all of you!
30 May 2011
Two weeks ago, I was the lucky one to be awarded the Dean’s Commendation from Law and Management Faculty of La Trobe.
Basically, this commendation was awarded to La Trobe students from the Faculty of Law and Management, who had achieved an A average for their studies in 2010. As one of the recipients, I was so excited to participate in the ceremony at the John Scott Meeting House at Melbourne campus.
Before the commendation started, I made a lot of new friends at the reception. Although we study different subjects, such as marketing, tourism and hospitality, finance, and accounting, we were still willing to exchange our different study experiences at La Trobe.
During the commendation, the Vice-Chancellor and the Dean of Law and Management gave a wonderful speech. After that, every winner received a Certificate in recognition of their achievements in 2010.
Honestly, I had never dreamed that I could be a top student in my life. However, I made it at La Trobe. Being a good student, I study very hard every day, and sometimes I have to stay up till 1 am. My classmates always ask me, ‘Jenny, why are you studying so hard?’ That’s because I love studying, and I enjoy every moment of it. The more I study, the more I know. This is me!
There is an old saying, ‘It is never too late to learn’. I hope that every student enjoys studying at La Trobe!
12 May 2011
Easter and mid-semester holidays went so fast. I guess every student had a happy and enjoyable holiday. Do you want to know what’s happen to me?
A lot of things happen during my holidays. Before holidays started, I was so happy to get free Easter Bunny chocolate from one of my best friends. Ha ha, I should say “thank you” for him. That’s because he helped me save my pocket money to buy it.
During Easter, I went to Lakes Entrance with some good friends of mine. Lakes Entrance is a popular destination in Victoria, which is nearly 320 km from Melbourne. It is famous for fishing, swimming, bushwalking and boating, which attract many visitors all year round. We went there for fishing, especially, for catching crabs.
After driving four hours, we arrived at Lakes Entrance. Having not been so far away from Melbourne for a long time, I was so impressed by the beautiful town, friendly locals, nice weather and scenery. Then, we went to the beach and national park for a long walk, which was a good chance for us to get close to the nature. After that, we prepared the stuff to catch crabs. Yummy, yummy crabs, we were coming!
Ok, the activity of catching crab started! We tied the smelly chicken on the cage, and thrown it into the river to attract the crabs. Then, we kept waiting and waiting. 15 minutes later, we took the cage up, and everyone was so happy and felt proud to find our first three crabs. After that, we used the same method to catch another 18 crabs for the next two hours. Although it was 2.30 am, everyone was so happy for our amazing results. Wow, we went to the hotel quickly and boiled the fresh crabs for breakfast.
On the next day, we went to the Buchan Caves, which is one-hour drive from Lakes Entrance. We visited the fantastic caves that may exist have been there for one million years...
What a pity! My holidays will end soon. No worries, I am planning for my next holiday, because I love travelling!
5 April 2011
Time always goes very fast. Recently, I have found that there is not enough time to read and study. I wish there were more hours in a day! Looking at my student diary just now, Easter is around the corner and it is week six already.
I don’t know why this semester is going faster than the last one. Maybe I have adapted myself to the university life at La Trobe and I feel it is one part of my life. Last week, I watched some students participate in their graduation ceremony. Then, I kept asking myself, “Jenny, what’s your plan for the future?” Honestly, I have no idea.
Obviously, it is a really good question because students need to get a job when they finish studying and I am no exception. There are some students who are always confused about their career in the future; however, we cannot just stop our journey because of some uncertainty.
I do believe that what we learn from university today will help us build a solid foundation to achieve a successful career in the future. It does not matter where we are; we will never regret our life at La Trobe because we had to study so hard but we’re having a lot of fun, aren’t we?
Wow, what I am waiting for now? Trying to find more time to study to enrich my knowledge and make a plan before I graduate.
4 March 2011
I have now been in Australia for more than three years and unbelievably I have not been to Sydney yet! So once I finished summer school it was time to go.
On my first day I took the ferry from Parramatta to the city. Would you believe that on the way back the ferry had to stop one stop before Parramatta as there was not enough water in the river? What the….?
On my second day, I avoided the Parramatta River and its water problems and took myself off to the Blue Mountains.
When you are up there you are completely surrounded by mountains. The views are so exhilarating I had to take a deep breath. In front of you there are the Three Sisters, a rock formation of three small peaks which stand very closely together. Besides them there is a waterfall 250 metres high. This was the first time I’d seen a waterfall in person. Honestly.
After the Blue Mountains trip it was down to the Sydney Fish Markets where you can buy just about anything that happens to swim in the sea (except dolphins and whales of course!). I had half a small lobster with some salad and chips, which only cost $25. What a deal!
If I have chance in the future I will definitely go to Sydney again. Yeah, the harbour and mountains are beautiful, but I’m going back for another reason. You guessed it. The shopping!
4 February 2011
Chinese New Year has arrived. Chinese people in the different parts of the world are busy celebrating it in different ways.
Chinese New Year is one of the biggest events for all Chinese people around the world. It seems like Thanksgiving and Christmas in Western countries. This year is the year of rabbit. Rabbit ranks number four in the Chinese horoscope cycle, and it only recurs every twelfth year.
This year my housemates and I decided to eat outside. However, we are still making some traditional paper cutting, some yummy dumplings and red envelope (with lucky money inside). I am so excited now that I cannot wait it comes.
This year is quite special for me because I was born in the year of rabbit. Chinese tradition says I should wear some red clothes or shoes, anything red will bring me good luck. My friends would be very surprised if I wear red from head to toe on that night.
I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy Chinese New Year to all of you. I wish all the Chinese to have a wonderful New Year. Have fun!
21 December 2011
Time goes really fast! Wow, we are in the year 2011. Now I am studying summer school. However, I still immersed in my summer holiday.
Before my summer school started, I hung out with two of my best friends. Surprisingly, they did change a lot. One of them just came back from China, it seems that he had a great time and enjoyed his stay in his hometown, in particular he tried to eat different kinds of food every day.
On the contrary, my other friend lost some kilos and she looked slimmer than before. She worked long hours every day as a baker in Canberra. But she saved a lot of pocket money. I worked as a casual pastry chef, I did lose 2 kilos and I shopped a lot for Christmas. Honestly, it seems that everyone has a different kind of vacation. After chatting for a while, we decided to have dinner on Lygon Street in Carlton.
Lygon Street is famous for Italian food. It is a wonderful place to have dinner during lovely summer time. The beauty of it is that people can eat outdoors on footpaths. However, we decided to have some Thai food instead of Italian food, because one of my friends highly recommended one restaurant there.
I was so excited and couldn’t wait, as this was my first time trying Thai food. We ordered three dishes which were the chef’s specialty. I was so impressed by Thai food’s spice. One dish had a strong flavour of chilli which made my tongue burn. Another dish with coconut juice and another special spice that I didn’t recognise tasted amazing. Another mackerel dish with some vegetables as garnish was so yummy that I ate almost all of it. Drinks were different as well. For example, we had a drink of coconut juice which had fresh coconut meat and juice. I loved it so much! Later on, I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and just imagined that I was in Thailand.
It is good to live in Melbourne, because it is like a ‘melting pot’— you can see people from everywhere, and try different kinds of food as you like. I love Thai food! If you have a chance, just go to Lygon Street and try it. I am 100 per cent sure you will like it like me.
22 December 2010
Cherry picking season in Victoria is very short; it starts from the first week of December and lasts for four weeks. Cherry Haven is one of the best places for picking up fresh and yummy cherries in Victoria, which is located at the Dandenong Ranges.
Some of my housemates planned to pick cherries at Cherry Haven last Sunday. It was a bit cloudy on that day, and it seemed like it was going to rain soon. On the way there, we kept singing and chatting. We had a lot of fun! My friends will never feel bored when they stay with me, because they call me ‘smile girl’, who can bring them a lot of happiness.
After driving less than one hour, we reached Cherry Haven. I was so excited because I have not travelled so far away from home since last semester started. The weather was not bad, still cloudy but with a little drizzle.
The entrance only costs $5 per person which is quite cheap, and you can eat plenty of cherries inside the farm if you wish. Be careful, do not eat too much, otherwise your stomach cannot bear it.
Yeah, time to enjoy the cherries. I was searching for the amazing cherries which have a dark red colour. One minute later, my ‘target’ appeared, and I picked it from the tree and ate it. Ho ho,this was the one I wanted. It tasted beautiful. Then, I kept looking for the same good quality cherries, and ate them one by one. Later, my stomach felt so full that I couldn’t eat anymore. But my eyes still wanted to eat more, how greedy I was.
Hurry up! The amazing cherries are waiting for you now. Take a short trip with your friends, and enjoy the best cherries for the last two weeks.
By the way, Christmas and New Year are just around the corner, wish all of you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance! See you guys next year!
13 December 2010
Summer is a wonderful season for barbeque, and it is very popular in Australia. Despite the weather, Aussies prefer to have a barbeque in the weekend. In Australia, there are plenty of places for that; you can make it at home, in the park or near the beaches.
Wow, last Sunday the weather was so nice so that some good friends of mine decided to have a barbeque at Fairfield Park.
Honestly, I was so surprised by this spot. Interestingly, there are at least five big venues to cook your meat. At first, we wasted nearly 40 minutes looking for the right venue. After driving and driving, we finally found it. However, when we got there, my friends finished grilling the meat. What a shame! We missed out on the best part. Well, for the other side, I can enjoy the beautiful meat, salad and fruit. The meat was so nice with barbecue-broiled flavour which can easily absorb different seasonal flavour. I love that!
On such a nice day, my friends were chatting under the trees; some were playing baseball on the grass and some were having some drinks and food; the rest enjoyed listening to the music. Later on, we shared our study, work and life experience, and even something that can make people laugh. Actually, we had a lot of fun. It was a wonderful thing in our life when everything slows down. It means that we have time for thinking, relaxing and enjoying our life.
So, don’t waste your summer, start loving barbeques and have fun with your friends!
24 November 2010
Wow, exams are finally finished. Summer holiday is coming soon. I wish everyone a good time. I guess all of you got plans, I am not an exception.
Three month holiday is too long, how can I plan it? I need to think for a while. I feel like a child who wants to do everything in a day. That is unbelievable: I want to travel, I want to go to summer school for further study, I want to work to make some money, I want to catch up with my friends, I want to go shopping, I want to go swimming, I want to sing karaoke, I want to pick up strawberries and cherries, etc.
Among all these things, what I want to do first is go shopping. Honestly, there are a lot of places to go in Melbourne, however, Melbourne Central (MC) is one of my favourites. You can find nearly anything you like there. It is like a small town, but it is quite different from the Melbourne campus, because it is not only a station but also a big shopping mall with a supermarket, parking lot, cafés, restaurants, bakery, chemist, cinemas, shops, etc. One of the biggest differences is you can see a lot of people; it is very crowded.
Another thing that I like a lot is the special clock which is situated in the main square inside MC. Why it is so special - it sings songs every one hour with little birds comes in and out of it.
If I feel tired after shopping, I will go to the State Library (SL) to do some reading. It is just opposite to MC. When you are sitting on the grass (in front of SL), the sunlight makes you feel very comfortable which can nourish your heart and brain.
I love summer holiday, please start to enjoy it now.
11 November 2010
Dear all, I am Jenny. I come from a very beautiful coastal city in China which is called Dalian. Staying at Melbourne for three years, hopefully I am a Melburnian now. This is my first semester at La Trobe, my major is tourism and hospitality. I am so excited to start my first blog. Welcome!
I guess all of you are preparing for your exams at the moment. Good luck!
Now I want to share with you something very interesting that I have never experienced before—being a volunteer at a charity night organised by La Burlesque for the Cancer Council Victoria.
The event was held three weeks ago at Ladida which is located in the Melbourne CBD. On the event night, there were ten students from La Trobe attending. Luckily, I was one of them. When we arrived at Ladida, the supervisor allocated duties for everyone. Some of us were required to run the cloak room, looking after the silent auction items. I was in charge of working in a VIP room, checking guests’ identity, taking their orders and keeping the place tidy. Other students were required to sell the cancer brooch and tickets to raise money.
One of the most interesting parts was the ‘lucky draw’. The top prize was one free night stay at a 4.5-star hotel. Other prizes included two bottles of wine and some smaller gifts. Interestingly, every guest participated in purchasing tickets; the more they bought the more chance to win they had. All the tickets sold out within two hours. Selling tickets was a lot of fun. One of my best friends told me that she kept repeating the same words to over 100 guests, so her English improved so fast on that night. I said to her, ‘Do you want to improve your English? Start selling tickets now!’ It was a lot of fun.
For the rest of the event, guests were chatting, dancing and singing. At the same time, the professional DJ and dancers made the atmosphere excellent. There was also an amazing photographer taking pictures for the whole event. Everyone was so happy.
At ten o’clock, we finished our shifts. Unfortunately, we missed out on the ‘lucky draw’ because it was held at midnight. However, we did enjoy it a lot. We managed to raise nearly A$7000 which made us very proud. Meanwhile, this event enriched my university life; I made some new friends, improved my English, and experienced a different part of the culture.
Finally, I want to thank La Trobe for providing us with a chance to be volunteers; we look forward to join more activities in the future.
